Florida Senate president hits back at Psaki over parental rights bill: She should read the bill first
Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson on Florida legislature reviewing Disney’s special status.
Republican Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson on Wednesday hit back at White House press secretary Jen Psaki for how she characterized Florida’s parental rights law.
"I’m sure Jen can read just fine. This is a four-page bill. This bill has nothing to do with how she is characterizing this bill. I’m sure she has plenty of problems in Washington to take care of and she should leave Florida’s legislation to Florida. If she wants to talk about this bill, she should certainly read it first," Simpson told "America’s Newsroom."
PSAKI FIGHTS BACK TEARS OVER FLORIDA'S PARENTAL RIGHTS BILL, SAYS IT'S HURTING CHILDREN'S 'LIVES'
Psaki broke into tears while discussing Florida’s controversial parental rights bill in a podcast released this week.
"I’m going to get emotional about this issue because it’s horrible," Psaki said on Jessica Yellin’s "News Not Noise" podcast while fighting back tears discussing the Florida legislation recently signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that prohibits classroom instruction on "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" with children in third grade or younger "or in a manner that is not age-appropriate.
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"This is an issue that makes me completely crazy," Psaki added.
Psaki explained that Republicans are using the legislation as a "political wedge issue" in an attempt to "win the culture war" in a way that is "harsh and cruel to kids."
White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Monday, April 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
"It’s like kids who are bullied and then all these leaders are taking steps to hurt them and hurt their lives and hurt their families," Psaki said, adding that there are "multiple layers" of the legislation that are "outrageous."
On March 28th, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a parental rights bill that bans teachers from giving classroom instruction on "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" in kindergarten through third grade. DeSantis announced Tuesday he is calling on the state legislature to consider legislation in a special session to dismantle special protections for Disney operating in Florida following the company’s opposition to the law.
"We stand up for parental rights [in Florida]. And when liberal elitists attack our parental rights, Florida is going to stand up. … The idea that kindergartners, first, second and third-graders are going to be inundated with sexual orientation and transgenderism. We're not going to tolerate that in Florida," Simpson told host Bill Hemmer.
Fox News' Jessica Chasmar contributed to this report.
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